Home gardening do’s and don’ts

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Home Gardening Do’s and Don’ts

This Friday, April 10, is Good Friday which means it’s time to plant your garden!

However, planting is tricky and the traditional garden folklore of planting on Good Friday won’t save your crop.

To help yield the best results this gardening season, try following these gardening do’s and don’ts.

Do:

1. Use recommended varieties for your area of the state.
2. Sample soil and have it tested every two to three years.
3. Apply preplant fertilizer to the garden in the recommended amount.
4. Examine your garden often to keep ahead of potential problems.
5. Keep the garden free of insects, diseases and weeds.
6. Use mulches to conserve moister, control weeds and reduce ground rots.
7. Water as needed, wetting soil to a depth of six inches.
8. Thin when plants are small.
9. Avoid excessive walking and working in the garden when the foliage and soil are wet.
10. Wash your garden tools and sprayer well after each use.
11. Keep your records on garden activities.

Don’t:

1. Depend on varieties on recommended for your area but do try limited amounts of new releases.
2. Plant so closely that you cannot walk or work in the garden.
3. Cultivate so deeply that plant roots are injured.
4. Shade small plants with taller growing crops.
5. Water excessively or in the late afternoon.
6. Place fertilizer directly in contact with plant roots or seeds.
7. Allow weeds to grow large before cultivating.
8. Apply chemicals or pesticides in haphazard manners or without reading the label directions.
9. Use chemicals not specifically recommended for garden crops.
10. Store leftover diluted spray.